"When you can do common things of life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world."
- George Washington
Skye ran and ran ran, until she stumbled in the forest and landed face down in the leaves. She stood up and straightened her jumper, brushing the dust off herself. Looking at the clearing, she recognised it from her second year, when she first met James, Sirius, Remus and Peter. Sighing, Skye leaned against a tall tree and contemplated what had happened. On a rush, everything flooded back into her mind. The Slytherins, Regulus, Snape, Avery.. Sirius and his anger, his clenched fists. James and Remus, who pulled out their wands, and Peter who sat and watched.. And above all, the word "Mudblood" stood out in Skye's mind. That and the ice. It was sleek and cold and clear, very thing Skye had always admired about ice and water. It was beautiful.. And dangerous. Taking a shaking breath, she raised her hands and concentrated. Frowning, Skye thought hard about ice, and the cold. Wind and rain and water and ice, but nothing happened. In a flurry of anger, Skye three her arms up in the air, frustration taking over. But as she threw up her arms, clear, cold ice shifted into form above her. Skye's blue eyes widened, taking in the ice that now clung to the tree branch near her face. Skye raised her hands again, slowly, and instead of concentrating, let anger flow through her. With every swipe of her hands, thoughts ran through Skye's head and she counted.
One. Her family.
Eyes shut, her hands glided over each other, opening and closing.
Two. How she was the odd one out.
Three, four. How she was "different" to them.
Five, six. All the glares she got from Sirius' girlfriends, or ex girlfriends.
Seven, eight. Nine. Ten. Avery and Mulciber.
Eleven. Snaps and Regulus.
Twelve. Her hands felt different, stronger somehow.
Thirteen. Mudblood.
Finally, Skye's eyes fluttered open, and widened hugely. Sheer ice lay on the ground around her, tall and pointy. She was tempted to turn and run back to the castle, but as soon as she turned, Skye was grabbed roughly by the arms. In immediate reaction, her arm shot out and began to smack wildly. "Hey, hey. OI!" Sirius' voice yelled, grabbing Skye's wrists. "Sirius!" Skye gasped. "I'm so sorry! That was an accident, I just.. I don't know." She finished with a sigh. "S'okay." Sirius smiled at her, his head slightly to the side. Skye smiled at him. "So.. Wait, did you do this?" He asked her, letting go of her and walking in between the ice. The ground was damp with water beneath his feet, but neither of them noticed. Skye nodded, trying not to be scared as she looked him in the eye. "Wow! By the way, the others have agreed not to pester you about it.. Until tomorrow." He said, laughing nervously. Turning to face her, he caught her reaction and a glimpse of the person she was beneath her constant act. It was then that Sirius noticed just how amazing his friend was. Her blonde hair was whipped around by the breeze, over her pale face and in her blue eyes. She was short, but brilliant for such a small person. Her black jumper was loose and blue jeans clung tightly to her thick, curvy legs. She wasn't skinny- that was an obvious fact. But she was curvy, and there was something sexy about that.
Of course, Sirius never told Skye this. He just looked at her, and she looked at him, their eyes locked as they stood between the sheets of ice.
"Skye.." Sirius said quietly, stepping towards her.
"Yes?" She asked him, tilting her head upwards.
"I.." Sirius was interrupted by the bell tower chiming loudly. He jumped, and Skye laughed, a high, happy sound that Sirius couldn't help but smile at. "C'mon, we'd better get going." Skye smiled, grabbing his wrist and pulling him towards the castle.
As they neared the common room, Skye's nerves began to rise again. "Nervous?" Sirius grinned from beside her. "No!" Skye spat, trying to hide it. Sirius' grin only grew wider as he said the password and they entered. Skye had expected everyone to look up and judge her, but the only ones who did were her James, Peter, Remus and Lily, her best friend. Skye waved at the boys and walked over to Lily, who was with Alice, Marlene, and Mary. Dorcas bs Emmeline were nowhere around. "Skye! Where were you?" Lily smiled at her. "I was.. I went for a walk." Skye shrugged. "Yeah.. A walk." Marlene winked. "What?!" Skye asks her, confused. "Were you accompanied by Jason, by any chance?" Marlene smirked. "Jason?" Skye asked, still confused. Mary laughed and nodded towards an attractive boy who had been in Gryffindor with them since first year, that Skye had talked to a few times. "I was not!" Skye exclaimed, her cheeks flaring. "Why would I have been?" "Because." Alice stated simply. "He really likes you apparently." "Really?" Skye asked as her eyes widened. "Yeah! Marlene and I heard him telling Parker he was planning on asking you out." Alice said excitedly. "He's pretty decent." Marlene smirked. "I think he's flipping gorgeous." Lily laughed. "Agreed!" Skye said, nodding. "So.. You reckon he likes you, then?" Mary asked Skye. "I don't know, Mary! Ask Marlene and Alice. Considering they seem to know so much more about it than me." Skye told her, smiling. Alice and Marlene nodded happily, just as a head popped up beside Skye and Lily. "Who likes Skye?" Sirius asked, grinning. "Probably a blind idiot." James grinned, winking at her. "Excuse you!" Skye laughed. "It's none of you're business." Mary told them, but she didn't sound angry. "Evans will tell me, won't you darling?" James asked. "Ugh. Bugger off, Potter." Lily sighed. Skye laughed at both her friends antics. "You'll get her next time, mate." Sirius smiled, clapping a hand on James' shoulder. "Do they come over here purposely to annoy me?" Lily seethed as the two boys walked away.
"You know Lils, I reckon they do." Skye laughed at her.